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Oklahoma basketball: What fans should know about Crimson-Cardinal Classic

By Chip Rouse

Dec 11, 2021; Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard C.J. Noland (22) and guard Jordan Goldwire (0) try to pull in a rebound during the second half against the Arkansas Razorbacks at BOK Center. Oklahoma won 88-66. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 11, 2021; Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard C.J. Noland (22) and guard Jordan Goldwire (0) try to pull in a rebound during the second half against the Arkansas Razorbacks at BOK Center. Oklahoma won 88-66. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports /
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On Saturday, men’s Oklahoma basketball and Arkansas will go at each other on the hardwood in the second annual Crimson and Cardinal Classic at the BOK Center in Tulsa.

The 9th-ranked Razorbacks (8-1) are the first ranked team Oklahoma has faced in the 2022-23 season, The Sooners take a 7-2 record into the game and the momentum of a 75-53 win over University of Missouri-Kansas City. Arkansas is coming off a 65-58 win over UNC Charlotte earlier in the week and has won four straight games after suffering its lone loss of the season 90-87 to Creighton.

Arkansas leads the all-time series with the Sooners with a 16-13 record, including a 5-1 record when the two teams play on a neutral court. Oklahoma won the inaugural game in the Crimson and Cardinal Classic series, posting an 88-66 victory a year ago.

In Porter Moser’s two seasons at Oklahoma, the Sooners are 5-9 against teams in the Associated Press Top 25 and 2-1 in games played on a neutral floor.

Nevada Transfer Grant Sherfield leads Oklahoma in scoring with a 17.1 average. He has scored in double digits in all nine of the OU games this season and topped 20 point in his past two games. Tanner Groves is the only other Sooner scoring in double digits (11.1 per game).

The Sooners have shot better than 50 percent in four of their last five games and better than 40 percent from three-point range in their past five games.

Arkansas, which averages 78.2 points a game is led on offense by Ricky Council IV, who averaged 18.4 points and Anthony Block (13.1). The Hogs will be without the services of Trevon Brazile, the team’s leading rebounder (6.0 per game), who tore his ACL in Arkansas’ last game and will miss the rest of the season. Brazile also averages 11.8 points per contest and is one of four Arkansas starters who scores in double figures.

The Razorbacks rank 21st in the nation in turnovers forced per game (18.1) and 27th in steals per game (9.7). Turnovers have been a problem area for Oklahoma through its first nine games. The Sooners are averaging 12.3 turnovers per game, with is tied for 117th nationally.

Rebounding is another factor to watch in this game. Arkansas is averaging nearly 37 rebounds per game while Oklahoma is pulling down just 31 rebounds per game, which ranks 335th nationally.

The game will tip off at noon CT and will be televised on ESPN2. Mark Neely and Tim Welsh will be on the call.

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